Thermostat User Interface

1. A thermostat comprising: a housing having an electronic display disposed thereon; a rotatable user-interface component configured to track a rotational input motion of a user; a processing system disposed within the housing and coupled to the rotatable user interface component and to the electronic display, the processing system being configured to identify a setpoint temperature value based on a tracked rotational input motion, the processing system being further configured to be in operative communication with one or more temperature sensors for receiving an ambient air temperature, the processing system being still further configured to be in operative communication with a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system to control the HVAC system based at least in part on a comparison of the measured ambient temperature and the setpoint temperature value; wherein said processing system, said electronic display, and said rotatable user interface component are collectively configured such that each of a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation is provided, said first and second modes of operation being in effect at different times; wherein, during said first mode of operation, information is displayed on said electronic display that is representative of said setpoint temperature value as identified by said processing system according to said tracked rotational input motion of the user; wherein, during said second mode of operation, an arrangement of selectable menu items is displayed on said electronic display that are selectable by one or more tracked rotational input motions of the user and one or more user confirmation inputs; wherein said thermostat further comprises a control system for receiving input from a user of said thermostat; and wherein said processing system is configured to enter the thermostat into an away occupancy state based on a first input received from the user via said control system, said processing system being further configured to enter the thermostat into an occupied occupancy state responsive to a second input received from the user via said control system.

2. The thermostat of claim 1 , wherein said tracked rotational input motion of the user causes a different selectable menu item to become visually highlighted as said rotatable user interface component is rotated, a user selection of one of said selectable menu items being established by user confirmation input provided by the user while that selectable menu item is visually highlighted.

3. The thermostat of claim 2 , wherein said first input and second input are received via user selection of a corresponding selectable menu item displayed during said second mode of operation.

4. The thermostat of claim 1 , wherein said first input comprises a selection of the away occupancy state.

5. The thermostat of claim 1 , wherein said control system for receiving input from a user is operable with said rotatable user-interface component.

6. The thermostat of claim 1 , wherein said first input and second input received from said user comprises a selection of one of the selectable menu items.

7. The thermostat of claim 1 , wherein graphical information is displayed on said electronic display that is representative of said setpoint temperature.

8. The thermostat of claim 1 , wherein said rotatable user-interface component is further configured to be inwardly pressable in a manner that is detectable by the processing system, and wherein the thermostat is configured to switch from said first mode of operation to said second mode of operation in response to an inward pressing of said rotatable user-interface component applied during said first mode of operation.

9. A thermostat comprising: a housing having an electronic display disposed thereon; a rotatable user-interface component configured to track a rotational input motion of a user; a processing system disposed within the housing and coupled to the rotatable user interface component and to the electronic display, the processing system being configured to identify a setpoint temperature value based on the tracked rotational input motion, the processing system being further configured to be in operative communication with one or more temperature sensors for receiving an ambient air temperature, the processing system being still further configured to be in operative communication with a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system to control the HVAC system based at least in part on a comparison of the measured ambient temperature and the setpoint temperature value; wherein said processing system, said electronic display, and said rotatable user interface component are collectively configured such that each of a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation is provided, said first and second modes of operation being in effect at different times, the thermostat being swithable from said first mode of operation to said second mode of operation in response to an inward pressing of said rotatable user-interface component applied during said first mode of operation; wherein, during said first mode of operation, information is displayed on said electronic display that is representative of said setpoint temperature value as identified by said processing system according to said tracked rotational input motion of the user; wherein, during said second mode of operation, an arrangement of selectable menu items is displayed on said electronic display that are selectable by one or more tracked rotational input motions of the user and one or more user confirmation inputs; wherein said thermostat further comprises a control system for receiving input from a user of said thermostat; and wherein said processing system is configured to enter the thermostat into an away occupancy state based on a first input received from the user via said control system, said processing system being further configured to enter the thermostat into an occupied occupancy state responsive to a second input received from the user via said control system.

10. The thermostat of claim 9 , wherein said first input or second input is received via user selection of a selectable menu item displayed during said second mode of operation.

11. The thermostat of claim 9 , wherein said first input comprises a selection of the away occupancy state.

12. The thermostat of claim 9 , wherein said control system for receiving input from a user is operable with said rotatable user-interface component.

13. The thermostat of claim 9 , wherein said rotatable user-interface component is further configured to be inwardly pressable in a manner that is detectable by the processing system, and wherein the thermostat is configured to switch from said first mode of operation to said second mode of operation in response to an inward pressing of said rotatable user-interface component applied during said first mode of operation.

14. A method for control of an HVAC system by a thermostat, the thermostat comprising a housing, a rotatable user-interface component, a processing system, a control system, and an electronic display, said thermostat having first and second modes of operation that are in effect at different times, the method comprising: detecting and tracking rotational movements of the rotatable user-interface component to track at least one rotational input motion of a user; when the thermostat is operating in the first mode of operation: identifying a setpoint temperature value based on the tracked rotational input motion; receiving, from one or more temperature sensors, an ambient air temperature; controlling the HVAC system based at least in part on a comparison between the ambient air temperature and the setpoint temperature value; displaying, on the electronic display, information that is representative of the identified setpoint temperature value; when the thermostat is operating in the second mode of operation: displaying an arrangement of selectable menu items on the electronic display that are selectable by one or more tracked rotational input motions of the user and one or more user confirmation inputs; receiving, via the control system, a first input from a user of the thermostat; entering the thermostat into an away occupancy state, via the processing system, responsive to the first input received from the user of the thermostat; receiving, via the control system, a second input from a user of the thermostat; and entering the thermostat into an occupied occupancy state, via the processing system, responsive to the second input received from the user of the thermostat.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising, when the thermostat is operating in the second mode of operation: visually highlighting different respective ones of the selectable menu items on the electronic display responsive to tracked user rotation of the rotatable user interface component; detecting a user confirmation input; and establishing as a selected menu item the selectable menu item that is visually highlighted when the user confirmation input is detected.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said selected menu item comprises the first input or the second input received from the user of the thermostat.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein said first input comprises a selection of the away occupancy state.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein said control system for receiving input from a user is operable with said rotatable user-interface component.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein said first input and second input received from said user comprises a selection of one of the selectable menu items.

20. The method of claim 14 , further comprising switching the thermostat from said first mode of operation to said second mode of operation in response to an inward pressing of said rotatable user-interface component applied during said first mode of operation.